IP Fun Fact
Apple Owns a Patent for a Paper Bag
IP Fun Fact
The first Indian Patent was for an ‘An Efficient Punkah Pulling Machine’
On 3rd March 1856, a civil engineer, George Alfred DePenning of 7, Grant’s Lane, Calcutta applied with the Government of India for grant of Exclusive Privileges for his invention – “An Efficient Punkah Pulling Machine”. The Act relating to Patent Rights introduced in 1856 granted Exclusive Privileges to the inventor of new methods of manufacturing for a period of 14 years.
IP Fun Fact
Edison Filed Over 1,000 Patents
Thomas Edison holds 1,093 U.S patents, including those for the phonograph and electric lightbulb. He still holds the record for most patents granted to a single person in U.S history.
IP Fun Fact
The First U.S. Patent was for Potash
The very first U.S. patent was issued in 1790 for a process to produce potash, a key ingredient in fertilizer. The patent was signed by George Washington himself.
IP Fun Fact
Tesla Made its Patents Free to Use
Elon Musk announced in 2014 that Tesla would make its patents open source to encourage the development of electric vehicles.
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The First Patent Issued to a Woman was in 1809
Mary Kies was the first woman in the U.S. to receive a patent-for a method of weaving straw with silk.
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Amazon Patented the 1-Click Checkout
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The Fidget Spinner Patent Was Never Renewed by Its Inventor
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Spotify Patented Technology to Analyse Emotions
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The Best-Known Patent Examiner
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A Half Page long Patent
The title of the shortest patent is “Metroprolol Succinate”. Patent numbered US Patent No. 5,081,154 is just half of a page long (about 70 lines). This patent covers a modified release pharmaceutical composition that includes metoprolol succinate.
IP Fun Fact
A Patent Sunk by a Cartoon
An inventor filed a patent for a method of raising sunken ships by pumping them full of buoyant balls. However, the Dutch patent office rejected the application. The surprising reason is that the idea wasn’t novel as it had already been illustrated years ago in a Donald Duck comic strip.
IP Fun Fact
An Official Patent for Building a Snowman
Inventor Ignacio Marc Asperas worked on how to build the ultimate snowman and patented his idea in 2011. The newly patented snowman building procedure as granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office was officially dubbed the “apparatus for facilitating the construction of a snow man/woman.”
IP Fun Fact
Patent of the Blue Jean
On May 20, 1873, tailor Jacob Davis and fabric supplier Levi Strauss patented an invention that would change the world: the blue jean. Their idea wasn’t the denim itself, but the small copper rivets placed on pocket corners and the base of the button fly to stop them from tearing under strain. Originally designed as durable workwear for miners and laborers, these revolutionary pants laid the foundation for an iconic piece of fashion.
IP Fun Fact
The King of Pop Leaned into Patents
Did you know that Michael Jackson’s iconic pose is credited to a patented invention? The musician once filed a patent for “anti-gravity illusion shoes” that were used in the music video for his song “Smooth Criminal.”
IP Fun Fact
Yes, It ‘Can’ Be Protected
The tall, slightly curved cylinder of a Pringles can with its peel-open metal lid has been patented in 1970 through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Snack rivals can’t package crisps in any container that too closely mimics that famous tube shape.
IP Fun Fact
The World’s First Patent Was Granted in 1474
The earliest recorded patent was granted in Venice in 1474 for a glass-making
technique. This Venetian Patent Statute is considered the foundation of modern patent
law, proving that intellectual property protection predates most modern legal systems
by centuries.
IP Fun Fact
Rocking Bath Tub (1900)
In 1900, Otto A. Hensel patented the “Rocking or Oscillating Bath Tub,” an invention that gently rocks and splashes water against the bather during use. The idea was to create a more invigorating and therapeutic bathing experience without any manual effort. Long before modern spas and water parks, this patent proves that inventors were already trying to turn everyday routines into immersive experiences one rocking bath at a time!
IP Fun Fact
A Spring, a Spring, a Marvellous Thing!
Many famous inventions were born entirely by accident, including the popsicle, Teflon, and the Post-it note and the beloved Slinky is no exception. Naval engineer Richard James was working on a spring-based system to stabilise sensitive ship equipment in rough seas when one of his springs fell off a shelf and “walked” across the floor. Instantly recognising its potential, James, along with his wife Betty, refined the design and transformed it into a toy. In 1946, James filed a utility patent application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the Slinky, describing it as a “toy and process of use”.
IP Fun Fact
Seat belts patent for free
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X-Rays for Humanity
In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays but made the remarkable decision not to patent his invention, believing that scientific breakthroughs should benefit all of humanity. By keeping the technology free for medical and research use, he enabled its rapid global adoption, transforming healthcare forever. In recognition of this groundbreaking contribution, he was awarded the first-ever Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. One of his earliest photographic plates from his experiments was a film of his wife Bertha’s hand, with her wedding ring clearly visible. (Photograph).
IP Fun Fact
Insulin Patent for $1
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The Patent That Tried to Stop You From Eating
US4344424A is a United States patent issued in 1982 for an “anti-eating face mask.” The invention was designed to physically prevent a wearer from eating food, primarily as a behavioural aid for controlling obesity. The mask consists of a lightweight frame designed to cover the wearer’s mouth, preventing food intake while still allowing breathing and speaking. Although the device never became commercially widespread, it’s design reflects the medical and psychological attitudes of the time toward weight management and self-control.
IP Fun Fact
The Shortest Patent Claims Ever
Glenn T. Seaborg, a Nobel Prize–winning scientist, held two of the shortest patent claims in history. In patents US3156523A and US3161462A, the independent claims were simply “Element 95” and “Element 96”, referring to the elements Americium and Curium (artificial elements created in cyclotrons). Instead of lengthy technical descriptions, these patents claimed the elements themselves, making them uniquely minimal.
IP Fun Fact
Magic Meets Patents
Some of the world’s greatest magicians didn’t just rely on illusion, they turned to the patent system to protect their secrets. Among them was Harry Houdini, one of the most iconic performers in history. Beyond his stagecraft, Houdini secured patents for several of his inventions, blending engineering with escapism. One of his most notable was U.S. Patent No. 1,370,316A, a specially designed diving suit that allowed the wearer to free themselves while submerged and safely resurface. Far from a mere prop, it was a carefully engineered device used in his escape acts.
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The Keyboard Designed to Slow You Down
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The Harvard Mouse was one of the first patented animals
In April 1988, Harvard University received a landmark patent for the “Oncomouse,” marking the first time any country granted patent protection to an animal. This mouse was genetically engineered to be highly prone to developing cancer, making it valuable for research. The approval of this patent paved the way for similar animal patents in the United States and Europe. However, the practice has remained highly controversial, with ongoing debates focusing on ethical issues surrounding the patenting of living beings as well as the economic implications of such rights.
IP Fun Fact
Turmeric Patent Battle: How India Used TKDL to Defeat Biopiracy
India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library played a crucial role in 2011 challenging a foreign patent on turmeric’s healing properties. By proving that turmeric’s medicinal use was already documented in ancient texts, India established prior art and got the patent revoked. Supported by efforts aligned with World Intellectual Property Organization frameworks, this case became a landmark in preventing biopiracy. It demonstrated how documenting traditional knowledge in modern, searchable formats can protect centuries-old practices from being wrongly patented, ensuring that such knowledge remains part of the public domain rather than private monopoly.
IP Fun Fact
The USPTO once granted a patent for a method of exercising a cat using a laser pointer
A surprisingly ordinary way of playing with a cat using a laser pointer to make it chase a moving dot was once the subject of a U.S. patent (Patent No. 5,443,036). The invention describes a method of encouraging a cat to exercise by projecting a bright, focused spot of light, created by a handheld laser onto a surface. By moving this light just out of the cat’s reach, the animal is prompted to chase it around, thereby engaging in physical activity. In simple terms, the patent covers the familiar act of using a laser beam to get a cat to run and play.